There’s a distinct difference between a travel agency and a true luxury travel agency. But it’s not what they sell or who they sell to, it’s what they deliver to their clients that makes all the difference.
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Travel Agencies vs. Luxury Travel Agencies
Anyone can book the Ritz, that doesn’t make the agency luxury. The role of a luxury travel agency like Scott & Thomas is to curate quality experiences. Part of our challenge is to craft a perfect itinerary for our clients. We have found that many associate luxury with cost. If it’s expensive, surely it must be better.
That’s not our approach.
We seek experiences for our clients that are unique, match their needs and wants with their timeline and budget in mind.
Luxury Is Personal
The Park Hyatt, a premier chain of five-star hotels has the motto: Luxury Is Personal. We are going to borrow that to illustrate our point.
On a trip with our daughter to Beijing, China the Park Hyatt reached out in advance to ask us if there’s anything they could do to make our stay memorable. We indicated that my daughter loves soup dumplings (xiaolong bao) so we would love it if they would have a list of some good places to eat them near the hotel. When we arrived at the hotel they took us directly to our suite (where they checked us in) and awaiting us was a table with a plastic plate and an order of soup dumplings waiting for my daughter.
The suite was gorgeous, the bathroom alone was bigger than some apartments I have lived in, but the luxury element was taking care of my daughter in a surprising and satisfying way.
We aim to find ways to surprise and delight our clients in a similar manner. It doesn’t have to be caviar to be a luxury experience, a dumpling can be all you need.
Experience Matters
What happens when we call room service? What happens when we need a late checkout or an early check-in? Is the location good but loud? Should clients skip the lounge or arrive early?
We stay in luxury hotels, fly business, and first-class; we could call it research but that would be a lie. We have tasted the good life and know what makes for a great experience. Knowing what makes a luxury experience great from a customer perspective is important. We don’t rely on guide books and sales pitches from travel vendors, seeing is believing.
Client Experience
The better we get to know our clients, the less they have to involve themselves in the minutia and details of their trips. When we know our clients are going away for an anniversary, we will offer restaurant recommendations that make sense. For an active couple heading to Thailand, we might seek out a private yoga instructor to meet our client on the beach.
For business customers, we can do more than just select aisle or window. Message us in the app to change your flight when your meeting ends early, or let us help you find the perfect gift for your customer visit and have it delivered to the front desk to make a lasting impression.
Let’s Go
Want to see a sample itinerary? Contact us and get a no-obligation itinerary customized for you. We can select dates that are convenient for you, flights to and from your home airport, hotel preferences, and even dining choices. Contact one of our concierges today!
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